A prominent figure within the German Green Party is urging the party to move beyond the lingering hope that former leader and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck might return to a leadership role. Renate Künast, former Minister for Agriculture and long-serving parliamentary group co-chair, in an interview with “Der Stern”, cautioned against dwelling on the possibility of Habeck’s comeback, arguing it risks hindering the party’s ability to forge a new political direction.
Künast drew parallels to the period following Joschka Fischer’s departure, highlighting the initial anxiety that gripped the Greens when a foundational figure left the scene. She emphasized that attributing the party’s successes to any single individual is a flawed perspective, stating, “Neither Joschka nor Robert were it alone; it was us all”. This collective effort, she insisted, is the bedrock of the Green Party’s strength.
The sentiment reflects a broader discussion about the future of the Green Party, particularly in the wake of recent policy challenges and shifts in public opinion. While many within the party have expressed a sense of loss following Habeck’s departure from frontline politics, Künast’s remarks challenge this sentiment, framing it as a potential impediment to a necessary evolution.
Künast’s perspective also reveals a conscious effort to avoid replicating the pendulum swings of the past. Recalling the period after the party’s initial foray into government in 2005, she underscored a commitment to embracing a responsibility-driven approach, seemingly dismissing any temptation to revert to a purely oppositional stance. She reaffirmed the party’s ambition to return to government, signalling a continued belief in their own policy superiority and a willingness to actively pursue that objective. The statement suggests a resolve to define the Green Party’s identity not through the shadow of past leaders, but by actively shaping its own future political agenda.